


Think Like a Hero

by Luka



Series: Every Man is a King [4]
Category: Rugby RPF, Rugby Union RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-27 17:18:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21122420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luka/pseuds/Luka
Summary: A tabloid newspaper's attempt to out Henry and George doesn't entirely go to plan.





	Think Like a Hero

**Author's Note:**

> OK, I know I said the previous part of this fic (which was only ever supposed to be a one-off) was the end of it. So sue me! The pairing keeps niggling away at my poor over-active imagination. And Wolverine must also take some blame for it as well, although they don't know that! :D

The reporter is sitting on a bench when Henry and Frank take their usual morning walk.

“Hello, Henry. I’m Josh Mackenzie from the Sun. I hear you and George Ford are lovers. Would you like to comment on that?”

“No thanks,” says Henry, without breaking stride.

When he and Frank get back home, he has a shower as hot as he can stand, and then sits down with a cup of tea to decide what to do next. He feels surprisingly calm that he’s about to be outed to the world. He wonders who’s tipped The Sun off – his money’s on one of the Chiefs youth team coaches, who’s never liked him and has a reputation for not being able to keep his mouth shut. Henry pulls over a notebook and pen and starts to make a list of who needs to know today.

Naturally he phones George first.

“The Sun are on to us,” he says without preamble.

There’s silence, and then George says: “Fuck them. Let them say what they like. It’s true and we’ve got nothing to hide.”

These are Henry’s sentiments as well, and he feels incredibly relieved – but not surprised – that George feels the same.

“How do you want to handle it, then?” asks Henry.

“I suppose we need to warn Eddie, Geordan and Rob, as well as all the media teams. And then we can WhatsApp the lads.”

“Sounds like a plan,” says Henry. 

“I’ll tell Eddie and Geordan and the Leicester and RFU media lot. You deal with Rob. And are you OK to do the WhatsApp announcement, or do you want me to do it?”

“I will,” says Henry, vaguely amused by how George instinctively takes charge.

“I wonder who dobbed us in.”

“Dunno. Although my best guess is one of the Chiefs youth team coaches. He’s a complete turd. And he was in that pub in town last time you were here. He came over and spoke to Jack and completely ignored us.”

“I remember. That big, red-faced bloke who looked like he was plastered by 8pm.”

“That’s the one.”

“He can fuck right off,” says George.

***

Rob seems totally unsurprised, and Henry wonders if he’s heard the rumours already. The Chiefs press guy is a former newspaper reporter and grins wolfishly - he clearly relishes the opportunity to put one over The Sun by suggesting that Henry talks to BBC South West that night to derail the tabloid’s exclusive, and then he and George do an interview with the Guardian the next day. 

Within an hour, a TV reporter is at the ground. And bizarre arrangements have been made for Henry and George to meet a Guardian journalist and photographer at Gloucester services on the M5 – a more or less halfway point.

***

_England rugby stars George Ford and Henry Slade are lovers, The Sun can exclusively reveal._

_Slade, 26, the pin-up of the England squad, declined to comment yesterday. But The Sun has learned that the Exeter centre has been in a relationship with Leicester fly-half Ford since July. _

_“Henry’s always the centre of attention from female fans, so it was a huge surprise when he introduced George to his Exeter teammates as his boyfriend,” said an Exeter source who asked not to be named._

_The two stars have spent much of the summer together and have been spotted on Devon beaches, in pubs together and walking Slade’s dog Frank._

_Ford’s father Mike, who is attack coach at Leicester, said: “My son’s private life is no one’s business but his own. And there is no way that it will impinge on his rugby. He and Henry are far too professional for that to happen.”_

_England coach Eddie Jones said: “I’ve got zero interest in what my players do off the pitch, as long as it doesn’t affect their game, break the law or frighten the horses. Both Henry and George are smashing lads and deserve every happiness together. They’ve got whole-hearted backing from both me and England Rugby.”_

***

The story’s a nine-day wonder. BBC South West lead on it, and The Guardian plasters the feature all over the newspaper and the website, including photos taken at the rather chi-chi M5 services (Frank steals the show, naturally), which rather pisses on The Sun’s strawberries. Both George and Henry have journalists hanging around at training for a few days, although Harry Williams at Chiefs and Dan Cole at Tigers suggest menacingly that they might all like to fuck off now. Before long, the latest political scandal takes over the front pages and football groin strains and spats dominate the sports sections.

It keeps the England rugby lads entertained on WhatsApp for a while longer, though. There’s plenty of piss-taking, not least from Jack and Luke, who claim they’re setting up a counselling service for the devastated women of the south west and will retire on the proceeds. Ben says Jonny should sacrifice a chicken to ensure life-long happiness for George and Henry. Jonny’s response is colourful and largely unrepeatable. 

It’s all good-humoured, though, and if anyone has a problem with the relationship, they keep quiet. Henry reckons he’s had text messages from everyone on the squad – plus a surprising number of other Premiership players – and George reports the same. 

The first message on WhatsApp and to both of them individually is from Owen. He says he’s happy for them, and to tell him if they get any crap from teammates, and he’ll stamp on it immediately. And he says he wants to be George’s best man when they get hitched!

***

“You know Bristol have enquired about my availability?” says George.

“That’s interesting.” Henry knows George’s contract with Tigers is up the end of the season, but has assumed he’ll stay put, not least because his father is now on the coaching team at Welford Road.

“Yeah. My agent’s stalled them for the moment. But …”

“They’re doing loads better in the Prem than Leicester are. And Bristol’s substantially nearer to Exeter than Leicester is,” says Henry, hoping he’s not presuming too much.

“Exactly,” says George. “We’d only be an hour and a half apart.”

“That would be awesome. But look, you have to do what’s right for your career. And if that’s staying with Leicester, do it. We’ll manage.”

“I know we will. Let’s see how the talks go. Love ya.”

“Back atcha,” says Henry.

**Author's Note:**

> Erm, yes, I realise the World Cup has disappeared without trace, even though the sequence of stories occasionally refers to fairly current events. Let's call it an AU, then. After all, it is fiction!


End file.
